Youth Acolytes at Trinity Lime Rock

Our Trinity Kids have a long tradition of serving as Acolytes. We are proud of them, and we're not surprised when visitors from other parishes ask us how our Trinity Kids become such proficient Acolytes -- and why they love doing it so much!

Part of it is long-standing tradition of our young people serving as acolytes. Click on the photo above to see it full sized -- it's some Trinity acolytes way back in the 1970s!

Vestments for Annual Meeting Sunday 2010

We've certainly got the gear -- and there's another set of acolyte vestments as well!

You'll see lots more of our acolytes today on this page, all the way from the 2001 Triduum Sacrum and Easter Sunday to our New Era of Acolytes -- the present time.

But first, how do Trinity Kids get started learning to be acolytes?

Here's where it starts:

Minister of Communion gets some help from a future acolyte

Whenever we can, we show even the youngest that they are part of our Worship.

Here is a future acolyte extinguishing the candles with assistance in November 2009 :

Here's a Sunday School student extinguishing the candles in September 2009:

Here's an acolyte at work, lighting the Christmas candles on Christmas 2, 2010:

Soon our acolytes are participating fully in our worship services. Here are some recent photos of the New Era of Trinity Acolytes in action.

Click on the photo above to see some Trinity acolytes in October, 2006.

Click on the photo above to see a new Crucifer, on November 8, 2009

Here, Pastor Heidi instructs an acolyte in supporting the Ministers of Communion by providing them with sanctified wine.

A new Lexifer during the recessional

We've been seeing more young people in our congregation in recent months --

many of whom are of an appropriate age to serve as acolytes, but, because they are new to Trinity, have not had the years of on the job training of our existing acolytes.

This is a great opportunity to formalize our acolyte duties -- something we have not done in decades. Accordingly, Pastor Heidi has prepared two documents that will help new and old acolytes alike ensure that our worship is consistent.

The first is a brief set of instructions for the acolyte for Sundays when only one acolyte is assigned. Please CLICK HERE to download a copy.

The second is an even briefer summary of the duties of the Minister of Communion. Because the acolyte and Minister of Communion work as a team, acolytes should also be familiar with this document. Please CLICK HERE to download a copy.

To visitors: We receive many requests for training materials for acolytes, and we invite you to download a copy. However, please remember, first, that each parish is a bit different and what works for us may not be even remotely applicable for you. Remember, secondly, that this is the first time we've committed this to paper in many years. This is version 1.0. It will be improved over time.

Our Acolytes also serve at the special services of the Church year....

Here, an acolyte holds the Liturgy of Baptism from which the Priest is reading during an adult baptism

Holding the Liturgy during a baptismal service

Pastor Heidi looks on approvingly as another new acolyte practices for her debut on Advent I, 2009

New acolyte November 29, 2009

Acolytes receive ongoing coaching

Coaching acolyte

Labor Day Sunday, 2006: several new acolytes made their debut

Senior Warden Linda Lloyd and Minister of Communion Sue Kozlowski instructing	Preparing to carry the Gospel book
Learning to place the torches	More practice with the torch
Sue checking with the torchbearers	Some last minute coaching
All set to go!	Click on any of these thumbnails to see a much larger version of the picture. to see this team in action when we were visited by the Choir of Trinity Church, Wall Street!

Lighting the candles on the Altar

Lighting the candles on the Altar, January 2010

New acolyte team

A new acolyte team made its debut on January 31, 2010

Commissioning of the Acolytes

Once the new acolytes have been trained and have demonstrated that they both can handle the responsibility of serving at the Altar and have a real interest in continuing as acolytes, we formally commission them using the ceremony from the Book of Occasional Services

Here are two pictures from the commissioning held October 15, 2006, with the Rt. Rev. Cyril Wismar presiding, and with Senior Warden (and Minister of Communion) Linda Lloyd presenting the candidates.

Candidates, seen before the Commissioning, with Bishop Wismar and Senior Warden Lloyd

Acolytes, following the Commissioning, show their new Crosses to the congregation


Click on the picture below to see an acolyte team in 2005, while preparing to serve at a Baptism... ...and again, this time on Palm Sunday 2003 (shown with their proud mom!)	Back in 2000, an acolyte team leaves Walker Hall to begin the procession

Here is one of our acolytes serving as processional crucifer for the Maundy Thursday service.

...and, the acolyte's role at the Great Vigil of Easter is particularly important because the acolyte lights the candles of the parishioners for the Great Procession

Here's something our acolytes get to do when the Bishop makes his annual visitation and sometimes on other occasions as well: one gets to serve as "Bishop's Chaplain". In the photos on the right, you can see the Bishop's Chaplains from Bishop Ramos' visit in 2001, Bishop Curry's visit in 2003 (groundbreaking for our addition), Bishop Ahrens' visit for Pastor Heidi's installation in 2010, and at the 2010 Confirmation.
It may look easy, but our acolytes have ongoing training, as well as on-the-job training, along with the Ministers of Communion. Here are some photos from a recent training session. (click on any picture to see it full-sized)
See lots of pictures from the acolyte training session held in October 2006. Our secret? Being an acolyte at Trinity is a combination of training and practice.	Here's an acolyte in 2004 receiving a quick briefing about the details of the service she'll soon be serving in.
As long as Acolytes carry candles, there WILL be candle wax to peel...
...and even though being an acolyte is hard work sometimes, it definitely is an experience to remember....
...and it's fun, too! Here's one of our acolytes before our Shrove Tuesday Evensong (and pancake supper!) (note the Mardi Gras beads)
Kids sometimes ask: "Is being an acolyte at Trinity something I could do?" The answer is that if one of our young people wishes to learn to be an acolyte, we do all we can to encourage him or her!
Being an acolyte at Trinity is not just a job for younger kids. Many continue serving well into their teen years and a few continue well beyond. In the photo at right is an acolyte who joined us at Trinity during her years at Hotchkiss.